Rare and Scarce Birds in Staffordshire (1 Viewer)

[The Moore-hen]

The first classic day of passage terns and waders of the autumn yesterday in Staffs during the rain with even Gailey getting in on the action! A mammoth 10hr shift by the Snapper (even I managed 6.5hrs!) produced only the 2nd site record of Bar-tailed Godwit thru NW at 08.00 with other site rarities of 4 Ringies (2E, 2N), calling Redshank and terns coming and going all day that produced probably 4 different Arctic's (ad, 1s & presumably 2 different Juvs) & at least 20 Common. Just a pity we missed out on the Black Tern passage (no records there since 2012 despite increased coverage) and the Little Tern passage that hit the East Midlands counties (no records there...ever!).

 

[The Snapper]

Really enjoyable day mate, need one like that every week. Looks like patches of rain dropped the Black Terns in which may have just missed us.

Don't think we've got any easterlies forecasted for this week

 

[The Moore-hen]

News for the 31st Aug

A day of quality (and quantity!) in Staffs today with the poor weather starting overnight (like on the 14th) again doing the trick...

Wryneck - Berry Hill Fields also Pied Fly & host of other migrants
Spoonbill - Croxden Quarry til 10.20 then flew off (later seen in Derbys & Notts)
Knot, Sanderling, Garganey, Osprey & 111 Ringies - Blithfield
Curlew Sand thru, Juv Spotted Redshank, Juv Arctic Tern & 58 Ringies - Belvide
Ringtail Hen Harrier - Cuckoo Bank
Common Scoter - Tittesworth

 

[The Moore-hen]

News for 1st Sept

Wryneck - still Berry Hill in copse c150 yards NW of the 'Lapland Bunting' paddock

 

[Mike Hill]

Would someone be kind enough to provide more specific location details for the Wryneck please as I do not know the area at all. Thank you.

 

[Phil Andrews]

Would someone be kind enough to provide more specific location details for the Wryneck please as I do not know the area at all. Thank you.

And the best place to park.

Cheers Phil

 

[Periwinkle]

Berry Hill Map (from Opus) but Lap Bunting Paddock not marked :-(

here

 

[Adam M]

And the best place to park.

Cheers Phil

Either Arbourfield Drive and a long walk through the site, or park at the end of Mossfield Road at the end of the industrial estate and head north. Just don't leave any valuables in your car, they're not always safe, especially tucked away at the end of Mossfield Road.

Adam

 

[Phil Andrews]

Either Arbourfield Drive and a long walk through the site, or park at the end of Mossfield Road at the end of the industrial estate and head north. Just don't leave any valuables in your car, they're not always safe, especially tucked away at the end of Mossfield Road.

Adam

Cheers Adam

 

[Mike Hill]

Thanks everyone.

 

[Nick Smith]

Berry Hill Map (from Opus) but Lap Bunting Paddock not marked :-(

here

Wryneck location added to map

 

[Moocher]

I hope everyone found the location of the Wryneck at Berry Hill Fields. I was wandering about unsure where to go yesterday until I bumped into a local birder who put me on the right track.

Some record shots and Video on my blog.

Regards

Moocher

 

[The Moore-hen]

News for the 11th Sept

2 Great White Egret - Branston Pits on the south pit

Is this the first record of 2 GWE together in Staffs, I can't think of another...

Great White Egret & Wood Sand - Middleton Lakes RSPB
Crane, Little Stint, 3 Black Tern & Osprey - Blithfield

 

[wolfbirder]

Not rare but nice to see a Little Egret fly low over Joey's Lane Park in Bilbrook (just outside Wolves) at 11.30am today.

 

[steve_zodiac]

I see someone has been a bit silly at Branston GP by wandering off the main paths to try and get better photos of the Great White Egrets.

I cannot believe the guilty person is an experienced birder, because an experienced birder would have known what would happen if he got too close.

Unfortunately a lot of individuals have jumped on the bird photography bandwagon without learning about the birds themselves first. :C

 

[paulthomas]

Unfortunately a lot of individuals have jumped on the bird photography bandwagon without learning about the birds themselves first. :C

I've yet to see a GWE but I bet you can't get within a country mile of them unless you're in a hide.

 

[steve_zodiac]

Sat in the hide at Aqualate for three hours this afternoon and you could have heard a pin drop on the opposite side of the mere it was so quiet. It was full of wildfowl but little else.

At 4pm the heavens opened and 3 Black Terns dropped in, plus a few hundred hirrundines. But that was about as good as it got.

 

[NickPomiankowski]

I've received a totally unconfirmed report of a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, reported yesterday at Little Aston Recreation Ground, off Forge Lane, B74 3BE "taking sap from a birch tree".

Cheers, Nick

 

[Phil Andrews]

I've received a totally unconfirmed report of a Yellow-breasted Sapsucker, reported yesterday at Little Aston Recreation Ground, off Forge Lane, B74 3BE "taking sap from a birch tree".

Cheers, Nick

I was there on Saturday! Trying to recall where the birch trees are. Any description other than the behaviour?

 

[Neil-T]

First this year

Just had a nice male brambling in the garden. Lesser redpolls started to arrive, so will be looking out for a common amongst them..